From Skills to Start-ups: DGT Felicitates Young Innovators at NSTI Bengaluru
In a significant step towards nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship within India’s skilling ecosystem, the Felicitation Ceremony of “Kaushalta Se Udyamita: Navonmesh Protsahan Spardha” was held at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Bengaluru, under the aegis of the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India. The initiative aims to encourage trainees to transform their technical skills into innovative ideas and entrepreneurial ventures, fostering a culture of enterprise creation among the country’s skilled youth.
The programme was implemented in collaboration with the Aditya Birla Capital Foundation (ABCF) & Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS), the incubator of BITS Pilani, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among students in all National Skills Training Institutes (NSTI) across the country.
Director General, DGT, Shri Dilip Kumar graced the occasion and highlighted the importance of nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset among skilled youth so that they emerge as job creators rather than job seekers. Emphasizing the need to complement skilling with innovation, he noted that along with imparting technical competencies, it is equally important to cultivate a culture that encourages trainees to think creatively and explore entrepreneurial possibilities.
He further said that trainees and institutions must be encouraged to dream big and work towards transforming their ideas into impactful outcomes that can address real-world challenges.
Shri Kumar also appreciated the DGT team for conceptualising and implementing this first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship within the NSTI ecosystem. He also requested PIEDS, BITS Pilani to continue mentoring the winners and guiding them in further refining and developing their ideas, while sustaining such collaborative initiatives with DGT and MSDE in the future.
During the event, an engaging presentation by PIEDS, BITS Pilani highlighted the journey of the programme and the mentorship provided to participants during the competition.
The national-level competition covered five key sectors—IT & ITeS, Automotive, Apparel, Electronics & Hardware, and Manufacturing. A total of 773 trainees from across the country participated in the competition, showcasing innovative ideas and solutions rooted in their technical training. After multiple stages of evaluation, the top 15 ideas were shortlisted and presented before an expert jury in the final pitch round. To recognise and encourage entrepreneurial thinking among trainees, sector-wise cash prizes were awarded to the winners, with ₹1,00,000 for the First Prize, ₹75,000 for the Second Prize, and ₹50,000 for the Third Prize.
The event was graced by Shri G. C. Ramamurthy, Regional Director, Karnataka; Shri Hemant D. Ganjare, Director (CFI), DGT; Smt. Swati Sethi, Director, DGT; senior officials of MSDE, representatives from industry and incubation centres, mentors, faculty members, and trainees from the NSTI ecosystem across the country, making it a vibrant platform celebrating innovation emerging from India’s skill development ecosystem.
The initiative reflects the Ministry’s broader vision of empowering skilled youth to convert their ideas into sustainable enterprises and contribute to India’s economic growth.
